CHAPTER 361: THE POISON KISS

The Poison Kiss

Mia and Leon were still embracing, hearts racing, breath entwined, when they finally—grudgingly—separated.

Their gazes clung for an extra beat before Leon looked over at the bed on which Cassidy rested white and still. His throat constricted.

"Mia," he whispered, scanning her face, "you said... should I start the treatment now? Or do you want me to wait?"

Her response was quicker than he anticipated, voice cold, near quivering.

"No," she spat, "don’t wait. Begin now. Just... just do it."

There was a flash of relief on Leon’s expression. He smiled softly at her, once nodding.

"Alright."

He leaned forward, kissed Mia on the forehead—warm and steady, as if he vowed he would take both her fear and her hope with him—and then he turned to the comatose woman on the bed.

Cassidy.

Her loveliness even in illness was nearly too painful to behold—cheeks pale of hue, lips parched, chest heaving shallowly with each gasp. Leon’s heart contracted, but his jaw set in determination. He knew what he had to do.

For an instant he hesitated, the foreignness of it against him. To kiss a comatose woman. To thrust his mana-infused saliva into her body. But there was no alternative. He lowered himself gradually and touched his lips to Cassidy’s.

Her lips felt soft, delicate, even in vulnerability.

He hung there, allowing the life-saturated mana to flow out of him into her system. Then, with delicate fingers, he tipped her chin and opened her mouth—just so. His tongue glided past, touching hers, and he could feel it immediately: the acrid taste of poison that clung to her tongue, her gums, her breath.

Leon didn’t react.

The System’s voice murmured inside his mind, steady and reassuring: No poison here can overcome the Velvet Tyrant body you’ve inherited. Keep going, bro. She’ll take it in.

So he did.

He deepened the kiss, gentle but sure, swirling his tongue against hers, coating her with his saliva. The bitterness was sharp at first, but beneath it he tasted something else—sweet, fragrant, uniquely hers. The taste of Cassidy.

Even poisoned, even weakened, she was stunning.

He swallowed hard, his body stirring, but gritting his teeth, he kept himself steady. His ears honed in, hearing the distant beat of her heart. It was slow, stumbling at first—but after a few moments of swallowing his own spit, he could hear it: a rapid pulse, her body struggling, surging.

And then—her lips curled.

Her body trembled, as if intuitively realizing that what he was offering her wasn’t hurt but healing. Even unconscious, her tongue attempted to move in harmony with his, to draw more out of him. She sucked faintly at his mouth, frantic.

Leon stiffened, eyes widening, then capitulated.

He reciprocated her tug, kissing her harder, deeper, until his saliva blended freely into hers. The subtle bitterness disappeared. Her body shook, chest rising harder, and her fingers even flickered at her sides.

There were minutes, but it seemed more.

Cassidy’s body responded quicker now—her lips holding tight, her tongue wrestling with his as if she were awake really. Leon sensed her heartbeat increase, stronger, more regular, until—

Her arms strayed suddenly.

Before he knew it, Cassidy had wrapped them around his neck and pulled him down against her, holding him, forcing into the kiss with astonishing strength. Her unconscious mind was nowhere in sight. She was waking up—starving for more of him.

"Damn, bro!" the System interrupted, almost sounding scandalized. "Is this your new body? Or are you merely that irresistible these days? She’s eating you up like candy!"

Leon pretended not to see it, but his chest seared with embarrassment and hunger. Cassidy wasn’t kissing—she was devouring him, body shuddering like she was starved.

In the corner of the room, Mia’s fists clenched. Her face hot, eyes bulging. To see her husband—to see her mother—it shredded her in two opposite directions at the same time. Shame, jealousy, yet... heat. She hated herself for it, but she couldn’t look away.

On the bed, Cassidy’s eyelids fluttered weakly open, half-shut. She whimpered into Leon’s lips, pulling him closer, deeper.

Leon fought to break away, ending the kiss. Saliva glistened wetly between their lips as she whimpered, her eyes glassily unfocused.

"P-please... give me more..."

Leon’s ribcage constricted. He wanted to refuse. He wanted to tell her. But those eyes—the naked hunger in her tone—it snuffed out his will.

Just a bit more," he breathed, before he kissed her again, this time harder.

Cassidy moaned softly on his lips, her body tipping back into his as if she had no control to fight, no need to wonder. Her tongue twisted frantically with his, hungry, as if she’d been wanting him forever.

Mia’s breath caught. Her body flushed in shame as she saw the two beings most crucial to her existence holding on to one another like lovers.

But Leon... he was torn. Even while the flavor of her immersed him, while her heat ignited his blood, guilt raked at him. She wasn’t making this choice. Not yet.

He moved away once more, gasping, both their mouths dripping with saliva. Cassidy whimpered, like a child, lips following his.

"Cassidy... listen... I need you to—"

She interrupted him, lips crushing against his again, muffling his words. He attempted to laugh it out, panting, "Cassidy, mm—hah—let me... speak—" but she continued kissing, not releasing him.

Then her voice, against his: "Who are you? Why... are you so tasty?"

Leon blinked. She was awake now. Really awake.

Her eyes opened wide, milky but alive, fixed on his face in confusion and... desire.

His chest heaved in relief—she was awake—but he couldn’t suppress the smirk playing at his lips. He rolled his body, repositioning so she was under him instead, held fast to the bed.

"If you don’t want to speak," he whispered against her puffy lips, voice husky, "then I’ll just devour you whole. Don’t moan afterwards."

From afar, Mia gasped and hid her face, her body shivering with a heat she could not endure.

But before Leon could go on, Cassidy abruptly pushed him in the chest—not feebly, but with uncommon strength. He staggered back, bumping against the floor as Cassidy crouched up with shaking arms.

And then—Mia’s voice shattered the silence.

"My mother... I apologize. I wasn’t strong enough to protect you well... I allowed this man—this scoundrel—to take from you."

Cassidy’s movements stalled. Her eyes went wide as her focus shifted toward her daughter.

"...Mia?"

Mia’s throat constricted, lips trembling. "Mom."

Cassidy’s vision grew blurred by sudden tears. She held out her arms. "Mia! My daughter. come here. Hug me!

Mia sprinted to her mother’s frailty, hurling herself into her arms. She wept against her chest, holding fast as if she feared Cassidy would disappear if she released her.

Cassidy combed her hair gently, beaming through her own tears. "So it is true... you’ve grown so tall... And this man... this Leon... he’s the one you mumbled about next to me when I slept, isn’t he?"

Mia startled, face blushing deep red. She looked at Leon with desperation, then at her mother. "H-how... how do you know that?"

Cassidy smiled softly, voice husky but filled with warmth. "I was out, yes... but sometimes still, I heard. Your voice, faint, when you thought no one heard. I know, Mia. And I never once hated it. You are my daughter. Your secrets are safe with me."

Mia’s entire body vibrated with shyness, her eyes brimming with tears. But she pushed her face harder into Cassidy’s chest, whispering, "Yes, Mom. He’s mine... He’s Leon. And he healed you. I swear it’s true. But... but to do it, he had to use his body... you had to... "

Her voice caught, embarrassed, as she whispered the last words. "...like me. The same way he healed me."

Cassidy’s gaze darted from her daughter to the man who stood rigid beside her, chest heaving with deep breaths. And slowly. a knowing smile appeared on her lips.